The NDIS is effectively a funding mechanism for organised crime. By Tarric Brooker at MacroBusiness.
Since the Albanese government came to power in May 2022:
- The GDP per working-age adult has dropped by 3.1%.
- NDIS spending has increased from $29 billion to $54 billion.
Meanwhile, during a recent Senate inquriy into the NDIS, Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission executive Adam Meyer stated that crime syndicates had set up dedicated fraud networks targeting NDIS participants, who were tricked or threatened with violence to set up fake claims. …
[NDIS] fraud is estimated to be costing the taxpayer $3.7 billion per year.
When appearing before a Senate committee, NDIS Integrity Chief John Dardo revealed that an internal investigation found that 90% of plan managers who manage funding for up to 100 NDIS participants (about 900 of 1540 managers in total) portrayed “significant indicators of fraud”.
“There was “not sufficient judiciary (capacity) to process the cases we have in the pipeline in the country. Prosecution is not the answer. It’s too late. The end game can’t be prosecution. We’ve got to get to prevention.” …
The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) [concluded] that the NDIS is effectively a funding mechanism for organised crime; in the other conclusions, the NDIS Integrity Chief states that there is so much fraud the courts lack the capacity to prosecute it all.
NDIS fraud powering the economy?
It leaves one wondering to what degree the cash injected into the economy via NDIS-derived fraud is powering the nation’s economic growth. After all, in the words of the ACIC executive Adam Meyer, the funds are being “recycled” into other criminal enterprises.
Another clean-up job for the next non-Labor Government.